


When Everything Changes

by ClothesBeam



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: M/M, Sexual Content, plot gets in the way of sexiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-16
Updated: 2013-08-24
Packaged: 2017-12-23 16:00:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/928412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClothesBeam/pseuds/ClothesBeam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Masamune permanently injures Yukimura during one of their many conflicts. But maybe it's about time things changed between them anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is set some time after Takeda Shingen dies and Yukimura is forced to lead in his place. No, I don't know the meaning of the term 'historical accuracy' and neither does this series, so it's all good.

It did not surprise Masamune that Sasuke refused to leave the room while he was there. What did surprise him was that he was allowed to be there in the first place.

His eye landed on Yukimura as he began wheezing and breathing unevenly again. The covers of the futon rose with his stuttering chest. The old man’s armour was nearby, but it didn’t seem to be making any difference.

Or maybe it was the only reason he was still alive.

_Stupid._

“He surrendered to you?” Sasuke asked once he had managed to get his lord stable again.

“Not really,” Masamune replied. “I stopped before killing him and gave him a choice, but he passed out before giving me an answer.”

“Then I thank you for not killing my lord. But what are you expecting in return? Is it this land you want?”

Masamune did want more land, but he didn’t want to be killed by a vengeful ninja before he could recover from his fight with Yukimura. “We’ll talk about it when he wakes up. If he won’t surrender to me… you understand what I’ll do then, right?”

_But I couldn’t do it last time…_

Sasuke seemed to be having similar thoughts and simply nodded. “We’ll take care of him. The servants have prepared a guest room for you. We’ll let you know when the lord is ready to negotiate.”

Not only did that give Yukimura time to recover, but to let his retainers impress their opinions on him. Masamune tilted his head in acquiescence. “Got it.”

~/~

Masamune sat in the _seiza_ position at a respectful distance, then folded his arms and waited for Yukimura to speak. One of the red-clad man’s arms was braced and in a sling, and his leg and foot on the opposite side didn’t look that good either. His loosely worn yukata revealed that several ribs had been bound tight.

Masamune could tell that sitting in _seiza_ was a struggle for him, and suspected he had caused more damage just getting into the position. Sasuke sat closer to him than was normal for a retainer, as if ready to catch him if he toppled over.

_Guilt?_

“So, ready to pick up where we left off, or you need some time out?” he started, unable to take the atmosphere any longer. In reality, Yukimura would be lucky if he could ever fight on the battlefield again.

Yukimura braced his hands against the tatami as best he could before leaning over. He winced visibly before pressing his forehead to the ground. “Unfortunately right now I have little choice but to surrender to you, Masamune-dono,” he spoke, keeping his humble position. “Accordingly it means my land and people are also up for surrender. I only ask that you care for my people like you do your own.”

The words were probably handed to him to memorise, but the fact he was actually saying them in a bow so deep and self-depreciating…

_This is too much._

“What are you talking about? That’s way too much effort. Look after your damn self.”

Yukimura glanced up hesitantly, though Masamune suspected it was mostly his injuries stopping him from sitting back up again.

“I mean, I’d like a nice bit of paper to hang on my wall. Nice bit of calligraphy, something along the lines of ‘Takeda is now a part of Oshuu thanks to the awesome Date Masamune’. But other than that, I don’t have time to worry about other people’s property.” He glanced away when the meaning of his words seemed to dawn on Yukimura.

“In that case you shouldn’t be so complacent! How can I stand to be under someone so irresponsible?” The passion was back, but it was a struggle for him to get the words out.

Masamune cringed internally but let him continue his rant. He knew what it was like to be looked down upon for a disability.

“I will continue to train until I can defeat you and reclaim my late lord’s land!”

His conviction was pathetic and heart-warming at the same time. Masamune didn’t know what to do.

“Fine then, I’ll be working hard too so don’t think it’ll be easy.” He relaxed his posture now that the dangerous part of the negotiation had passed. No need for an execution. “So you gonna feed me before I leave or what? Sasuke is a terrible host.”

Sasuke shrugged in response to Yukimura’s scandalised look. “Shall I bring the food here?” he mocked.

“No, we’re going to move to my quarters,” Yukimura answered, and Sasuke helped him to stand up as soon as he moved. “Go,” he said, and began trembling as soon as Sasuke backed away. He nodded stiffly and complied.

Masamune got to his feet and waited patiently for Yukimura to cross the room. Just as he reached the doorway, his knees buckled and he crashed into the ground. He tried to get up again once, twice, and then simply sat there with disbelief plastered across his face.

“I’m not gonna judge you for asking for help, you know. But I don’t want to get in your way either.” As a child it had taken him a long time to accept Kojuurou had meant that. Sometimes you had to be given the chance to do things on your own, even if that made a simple task difficult and time-consuming.

Yukimura hesitated a little longer and then held out his good hand. “Help me.”

Masamune knelt next to him so he could be used as a makeshift crutch. They slowly but steadily made their way down the halls. The guards and visible ninja studiously looked away from their lord in an attempt to preserve his dignity.

Finally they reached Yukimura’s private quarters. The food was already waiting for them, along with a complete lack of anyone else. Masamune nudged the door open further and apologised for being rude(1) out of habit, as he entered the room and sat Yukimura at the table.

“Thank you,” he said shortly, and Masamune knew his sense of inadequacy was getting to him.

“No need,” he said, plopping down on the _zabuton_ opposite. “I look after my own. I think that’s the only reason they put up with me.”

Yukimura said the usual ‘let’s eat’(2) in a muted tone. He didn’t look up from his food for quite some time.

But as expected, he was unable to contain himself. “Why did you hesitate?”

It was Masamune’s turn to use eating as an excuse for silence. Unfortunately it couldn’t go on forever.

“How boring would things be if I didn’t have my rival?”

“That’s all?” Yukimura pressed, clearly seeing the flaw in this. His rival was alive, but it would be a miracle if they would ever be able to compete again.

Masamune glanced down at his dishes and lamented that he had run out of excuses to remain silent. He stood and walked around to kneel beside Yukimura, who looked understandably wary. “I think I…” he trailed off and leaned closer, hoping the other would get the hint before he had to say it aloud.

_Yeah right._

“Masamune-dono?” His question was steady and earnest, even while their faces were pressed together most intimately.

“I think I… need you.” Close enough.

_True enough._

“But for what? I can’t…” He trailed off, unable to complete that thought. “I am no longer what I was.”

He kissed his cheek and gently rested a hand on his good shoulder. “Of course you are, idiot.” He trailed a hand down his torso, being particularly careful in the bandaged areas. “Wasn’t the goal peace? We were all going to stop fighting anyway. Who cares?”

“Masamune-dono,” he sniffed, emotion suddenly crashing to the surface. Despite his injuries his hugs were still literally bone-crushing for the average person. “I love you too!” he yelled without even a vestige of shame.

Masamune massaged his forehead before patting him stiffly on the back. “Good.”

He stroked Yukimura’s stomach, continuing to move lower. When no request to stop came, Masamune splayed his fingers and forced his hand under the obi. It wasn’t until fingers passed through his pubic hair that Yukimura pulled back a little to look at him in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” he mumbled and removed his hand.

“I can’t…” He paused and took a breath. “Be careful.”

“I’m not going to make your injuries worse,” he replied, pressing his mouth to his ear. “And enough of this ‘I can’t’ bullshit,” he added.

Yukimura nodded and pushed the blue jacket off his shoulders. Masamune paused to remove the rest of his armour and, most importantly, his gloves. Only the swathe of material that was his underwear and an undershirt remained. Yukimura looked rather more relaxed now.

Masamune extricated himself from the arms still somehow tangled around him and pushed Yukimura onto his back, so that his hips were raised by the _zabuton_. He spread his legs a bit further, and shuffled back so he could begin mouthing at the inner thigh of the uninjured one.

“Masamune,” Yukimura murmured and reached down to run a hand through his hair. Masamune grunted and tugged away the material covering him in response, exposing him to the air.

He continued to mouth further up his thigh, until his tongue came into contact with more delicate skin. He opened his eye to see Yukimura was already standing tall and proud for him, and felt himself respond in kind.

He finally stopped teasing and got down to business, taking him into his mouth. Yukimura moaned loudly, never one to remain quiet for long. Masamune looked forward to a time when broken bones would be mended. Then he could thrust into him with abandon, and keep every inhabitant of the lord’s home awake until late into the night.

Yukimura moaned loudly again and turned crimson, coming already. He didn't do this often. It had been a long time. He panted and winced at the result of his muscles contracting during orgasm, but other than that he did not seem to be bothered by their activities.

Masamune sat up and shoved his mouth over Yukimura’s, still full of his seed. A muted sound of surprise escaped him as he was forced to taste himself. Masamune found his hand over himself before he had time to think about it.

Yukimura used his good arm to drag him into a position where he would be within reach without having to sit on the tiger’s injuries. Their hands kept bumping as they both stroked him off, and Masamune couldn’t have been any happier with his enthusiasm. But he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before that strength deteriorated entirely.

And suddenly he had killed his mood. He took Yukimura’s hand and guided it away from his fading erection. “Masamune?” he asked in a hoarse voice once he had realised what was happening. “Sorry…”

“For what?” he asked as he came to rest beside him. They should probably get the futon out instead of trying to pile onto the _zabuton_.

“I did something wrong, didn’t I? Or is my current appearance off-putting? I understand if it is,” he began to say, but cut himself off at Masamune’s look.

“Why would you think you’re off-putting to me, of all people?” he asked. Yukimura looked confused until Masamune wrenched his eye patch up.

He stared curiously at the empty socket, which had been fused shut a long time ago. “That looks really gross,” Yukimura said bluntly, gaze still fixed on it.

“That’s my point, idiot,” Masamune replied, rolling his other eye. “If I can walk around with that on my face I can sure as hell stomach you.”

“Oh, ok, so what’s wrong then?”

“I feel bad,” he mumbled.

“What?”

“I feel bad!” he said more loudly, temper flaring.

“About what?” Yukimura hadn’t misheard him, he just didn’t understand.

“What I did to you.” Silence was rare in present company. It compelled him to explain further. “In time your strength is going to fade too. What I’ve done… it just struck me.”

Yukimura glanced into his eye. “If I start working again as soon as my bones heal, I’m sure to remain more resilient than the average person. I may never have the same amount of speed and flexibility again, but I don’t think my skull is going to get any thinner.”

Masamune hid his relief with a snort and knocked on said skull none too gently. “You got that right.”

Yukimura responded with a punch in the side and Masamune had to use all of his willpower to resist retaliating. “Anyway, I’ll be back in six weeks to make sure you’re looking after my land,” he stated as he ran a hand across the smooth tatami beneath them.

“Six weeks? Just enough time for my bones to heal,” Yukimura replied, his fist softening to stroke the other man’s side instead of attack it.

Masamune grinned before standing and retrieving the futon. “Until then look after yourself too, got it? Get the bed rest you need.”

“I should at least see you off first,” he protested as he hesitantly sat up.

Masamune simply picked him up and deposited him on the futon before he could blink. “No, I order you to give a crap about your health.” He bent over him and briefly pressed his lips against his forehead. “I need to get back before Kojuurou implodes with worry.”

“I will be a stronger man when you return,” he said, holding up a fist.

Masamune nodded and scooped up his pile of clothes. He escaped into the adjacent room before Yukimura could either protest more or distract him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (1) He's saying some form of 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu) because he's entering someone else's personal space. Probably a plainer form.  
> (2) いただきます itadakimasu  
> 


	2. Chapter 2

Ever open and altogether too honest, Yukimura had been staring at Masamune with unconcealed lust for the last half an hour. Masamune had given up on concentrating on the meeting about twenty-nine minutes ago. Kojuuro and Sasuke continued exchanging reports and pleasantries as though they were the landholders instead of the retainers.

“If that is all that needs to be reported, we shall take our leave,” Kojuurou replied. He acted as though he was used to this happening. It was probably necessary for him to take over meetings when Masamune was in a mood. But given Kojuurou’s uneasy glances, he had never seen him so obviously in _this_ mood.

“That is all, but feel free to partake in our hospitality,” Sasuke replied, privately hoping they could be separated before something untoward happened.

“Thank you for the offer, but I think it best that we head o-” Kojuurou paused when Masamune jerked upright and held out a hand.

“It can wait another day. I’m not feeling well.”

“Unwell? In my home? Allow me to offer you the very futon I slumber upon!”

“I’m touched by your offer. I have no choice but to accept.”

“Then I shall prepare it immediately!”

They both leapt to their feet and practically fled from the room without further ado. Sasuke winced at the complete lack of subtlety in both of them.

He turned to the stunned Kojuurou. “More tea?”

~/~

They lay panting side by side on the infamous futon. Yukimura dragged the paper over his butt again and frowned at it.

“Did you not masturbate for the last six weeks?” he complained as he threw it on the used pile. Masamune could see him wondering, perhaps of what something so symbolic of a whorehouse was doing in the room with them.

“Well I tried to pull out since you said you didn’t want a butt-load, but you complained and pushed me back in every time,” he replied, passing another sheet.

Yukimura didn’t immediately deign that with a response. “This time I will be the one doing the giving!” He said this boldly but Masamune still saw a question in his eyes.

“Oh really? And how’re you gonna do that?”

Yukimura seemed to seriously consider this for a while, before reaching up to his ridiculously long headband and untying it. He straddled Masamune before he could move too far, and used his body weight to pin his arms above his head. “I believe I will come up with something!”

Masamune’s eye widened with shock at first, but soon relaxed into his normal smirk. The idea of being tied up and had by Yukimura was getting him hard again already.

When he didn’t resist, Yukimura bound his wrists together almost painfully tight, which only excited him more. But he couldn’t just lie down and take it. He attempted to brace his foot against Yukimura’s chest and playfully push him away.

But Yukimura was determined to have his way this time and forced his leg back down. “Don’t push me away,” he reprimanded before striking Masamune across the back of his thigh.

His heart skipped a beat and his face heated up. Yukimura looked surprised when he remained quiet and obedient.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked, becoming more worried with each passing moment.

Masamune’s mouth had gone dry. He tried to swallow.

“Not at all.”

Yukimura’s face became red and he nuzzled Masamune’s cheek. “I’m glad,” he murmured. “I wanna flip you over and fuck you hard and deep.”

“Well don’t just sit around talking about it,” Masamune teased. His hands were tugged back down as Yukimura forced him to bend his knees. With a bit of struggling and cursing, he eventually ended up on his stomach with his hands pinned behind his back.

Masamune bent his knees in an instinctive attempt to get up again, but due to his unwieldy position, all he managed was to force his backside further into the air. Yukimura grabbed his hips and began rubbing against him lewdly.

“Lubricate first,” Masamune grunted a reminder as he flexed against his bonds. If he really tried he could break free, but he found he didn’t particularly want to.

Yukimura’s fingers weren’t exactly gentle when they penetrated him, but then Masamune wasn’t exactly a virgin. He could feel the strength Yukimura had managed to retain in the way he gripped his hip and kept him close to the ground.

If anyone but Yukimura did this he would die of shame. But right now the shame only seemed to be fuelling his erection. Around which Yukimura put his hand as he thrust into him.

Masamune groaned and he felt Yukimura hesitate again. “Don’t stop,” he murmured. “Just keep going.”

Yukimura did not require much encouragement.

Masamune turned his head as it was forced against the hard pillow of the futon. Every moan that passed his lips encouraged Yukimura more, in both his thrusting and his stroking.

He let out an odd whimpering sound when he finally came. To his relief Yukimura didn’t comment on it. Once Yukimura was satisfied, his wrists were unbound and he was able to turn over.

Yukimura rubbed them until the red marks faded. It seemed he wasn’t quite able to look him in the eye.

“Well, that was interesting.”

Yukimura smiled softly, eyes still fixed on the tatami.


	3. Chapter 3

Yukimura facing him with a spear in each hand was not something he had expected to see again. To his surprise Masamune realised it was also something he did not want to see again. But of course his sense of honour would get to him eventually. Oshuu owning Takeda was only ever going to be a temporary solution.

“Now for the sake of my lord, though he has left this world, I must face you and reclaim our territory!” Yukimura finally finished his speech and tensed up as if about to leap into action.

Masamune’s mouth formed a line and he remained standing with his arms folded, rather than reaching for his sword. Yukimura hesitated. He couldn’t bring himself to attack an unarmed opponent.

He shifted his weight impatiently as Masamune remained still, trying to think of a way to avoid the obvious conclusion to this fight. “Defend yourself!” Yukimura called as if it would help. “If you don’t I shall claim Oshuu for myself, too!”

As Yukimura undoubtedly knew it would, this ticked Masamune off to the degree he forgot the current predicament and pulled out his first sword. Taking the signal, Yukimura dashed forward with his spears poised to strike.

Masamune grit his teeth as they clashed and narrowed his eye. Both the spears had struck in the same direction so he could block them both with one blade. Still mad that Yukimura could so much as suggest such a thing, Masamune ran his mouth off.

“Defeat me? Don’t make me laugh! All I need to take you is this one sword!”

Yukimura’s face fell at the scathing remark. Masamune hadn’t missed his arms shaking just from the weight of both spears, either. He regretted getting angry but he couldn’t take it back now. There had to be a way to fix this.

They broke apart and Yukimura tossed away the weapon in his left hand. He adopted a more normal fighting technique. Masamune leapt at him with a shroud of lightening and Yukimura raised his fire in time to block once more.

Masamune had his leg taken out as he tried to land. But he managed to recover enough to block the strike to his neck.

He followed the momentum and rolled back before launching himself into the air. Now that they had some distance, he tried reasoning with him again. He knew it wouldn’t be easy.

“First of all, your lord is dead. He probably has other things on his mind now. Second, you think anyone in Oshuu would listen to you?”

Yukimura’s brows met at the reminder. “As his vassal, it is my duty to risk my life for his honour and property. I have strayed from the path of bushido and must now make up for my erroneous ways!”

Masamune yelled in frustration and struck Yukimura in disgust. “So I’m just some mistake?” he demanded, knocking the shocked man’s weapon wide. He had ample time to strike, to land a deathblow. Yet he couldn’t do it, once again.

His hands shook around his sword, and Yukimura glanced down. Remorsefully, Masamune hoped. “As far as my lord’s honour goes, yes. As soon as I came around I should have continued fighting you to the death, win or lose.”

Masamune slowly began to lower his sword. It shot back up when he heard something burst through the trees to the right. A camouflaged blur passed him, taking Yukimura with it.

“Sasuke!” Yukimura protested. Masamune gathered they had stopped just beyond the opposing tree line when he heard Sasuke speak.

“What are you doing?” he hissed. Masamune sheathed his weapon and approached quietly.

“Lord Shingen demands-” he said but was cut off by a slapping noise.

“I might not be able to punch you through walls like our late lord, but pay attention. These words were given to me by him in case of a situation like this.” Well, that explained the violent manhandling of his own employer, at any rate. “What was most important to Lord Shingen?”

“His people,” Yukimura answered without hesitation.

“And what will happen to the people if you die in this stupid fight?”

“Masamune-dono will care for them like his own, because they will be his,” he answered again with no trace of hesitation. Masamune was mildly flattered.

“What does the average citizen of Lord Shingen know about Oshuu and its leader?”

This one took a little longer. “That we have fought them before?”

“And?” Sasuke prompted, sounding more impatient now.

“The people have fought to remain with Lord Shingen before? Um…” He paused, clearly unsure of what else to say.

“So, how will they react to another leader dying, only to become part of Oshuu?”

“Not well?” At Sasuke’s raised eyebrows he elaborated. “They might fight back. To the death.”

“And that would be…?”

“Bad?” Suddenly it seemed to click. “If I die for my lord then everyone else will want to too!”

“Uh…” Sasuke gave up. “Yes, the people realise that right now the arrangement is merely a formality. We are still completely independent, you know? If you throw your life away, so will everyone else, everything Lord Shingen worked for… it’ll be gone.”

Yukimura was silent for a long time as he digested this information. “I get it Sasuke. I have to stop being a retainer and start being my lord’s successor. It just feels so wrong.”

“I can appreciate that,” he said as he sat back and let Yukimura sit up again. He glanced over his shoulder at the watching Masamune before turning back again. “But what is more important than your lord’s wishes?”

“Hey, wait a minute you two,” Masamune said, folding his arms and leaning against a tree. “Who agreed on the amount of independence you’d have? If Oshuu goes to war, I’ll expect you to follow.”

Sasuke just snorted. “How far would you go for Yukimura?”

Masamune hesitated and scowled when Sasuke looked like he was about to start gloating over being right. “Don’t piss me off,” he warned. “I can make him financially dependent on Oshuu without a war, then where would your pay come from?”

Sasuke’s face twisted and he shrugged noncommittally. He glanced at Yukimura, who had that scandalised look on his face again. “Sasuke! Do you not have anything to say about that?”

“Look, it doesn’t matter either way,” Masamune interrupted before Yukimura could throw a sad over the way ninjas thought of their clients. “I don’t have the energy or resources to deal with this. Take your freaking land and people back and stay out of my hair.”

He pushed himself off the tree and turned to walk back to the clearing they had recently vacated. He found Kojuurou waiting. He sat on his own horse and led Masamune’s along.

“Are you ready to leave?” he asked as Masamune approached.

“Tch, more than,” he answered shortly. He managed to get onto his horse without uncrossing his tightly folded arms.

“Masamune!” Yukimura yelled hoarsely from behind them.

“It’s like I said, you stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours,” he called, not turning around. But he didn’t ride away, either.

_Wrapped around his little finger!_

“My lord, wait,” Yukimura added, even though it wasn’t necessary. “Due to my own errors I can no longer lead from the front. Additionally I am giving up my position as a retainer… as a samurai. I therefore no longer have any shame left to associate with what we have done in the past. Please do not hold offense to what I said earlier.”

Masamune nudged his horse to turn so he could look over his right shoulder without having to strain his neck. “You really gonna back down this time?”

“If things remain as they are, there is no need for me to work against you,” he replied in a cautious tone. Sasuke nodded and Yukimura’s full attention returned to Masamune.

“Well then, guess I better get some special banners printed out for ya. Date’s Peace Corps, eh? No point in replacing the pretty red uniforms either.”

Yukimura smiled and nodded.

“I’ll be back at some point for a surprise inspection.” He turned his horse around and imperceptibly nudged her into gear. “Later!” he called back as he and Kojuurou left the clearing to join up with the rest of their unit.

He didn’t think he would be staying away for long.

_END_


End file.
